Sundays with Stella Turns One

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

It is indeed here, the first anniversary of Sundays with Stella! Well, technically, it’s 3 days from now, August 21st, but it doesn’t fall on a Sunday so this is going to be an early celebration.

Allow me to pause and extend my sincere thanks to all of you whether you've been with me since day one or have recently joined this creative journey. Your dedication to reading and enjoying my modest creative pieces every Sunday means a lot to me. Thank you for the lovely comments, especially to those who regularly engage in sharing your thoughts. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to meet and get to know so many of you here.

A big shout-out and immense gratitude to my two paid subscribers, Carina and Ed. Your faith in my work keeps me going. Maraming, maraming Salamat!

My hope is that the 51 posts from the past year have brought joy, inspiration, reflection, meaning, and connection into your lives. I will continue to do so in the coming year.

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I am thinking of my dear friend Gail today as I celebrate this milestone. She is part of my inspiration behind the creation of this newsletter. Whenever I had a story to share or a meaningful insight to convey, she consistently encouraged me to put it into writing.

"When are you writing a book?" my good friend Gail always asked me before she was diagnosed with dementia. We used to exchange emails regularly and chat on the phone for an hour or two. We had long conversations on her backyard patio or in her living room during my yearly visits to Santa Barbara, California. She kept insisting I had something worth sharing with the world. She encouraged me for years until she couldn't anymore. Each interaction is precious these days.

I don't know if I'll ever write a book. It is daunting just thinking about it. Maybe, Sundays with Stella will do for now. We'll see where this goes... will you join me on this creative journey?

—ABOUT page, Sundays with Stella

Apart from Gail, two friends whom I deeply respect told me, "You can write." So, last year, while I was unemployed and uncertain about my next steps, I decided to lean into it. Prior to this endeavor, I enjoyed blogging during its heyday in the late 2000s. When I discovered Substack, I saw it as a good opportunity to come back to writing.

This was my first post:

And, here is one of my favorites— using a letter format, I shared some advice and lessons learned while on this creative journey.

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To celebrate this milestone, I’m offering 10% off and free shipping for my collage art prints available on my online store. Each purchase allows the newsletter to be inclusive and open to all. The proceeds also create a sustainable means to maintain the quality and value of the publication. This offer ends on September 30th. Use discount code: SUMMER2023

Coffee Cup and Diver Collage Art Print. Digital Collage Art by Stella Kalaw

Upgrading to a paid subscription is also available. I understand it is a huge financial commitment for some. But, I would like to offer this option to those who can. Your generosity keeps the newsletter inclusive to all. It’s also a means of paying it forward so more readers can discover and be inspired by Sundays with Stella. Thank you in advance for your generous support.

Some of you may already know this but during the lockdowns, I also produced my first self-published book called The Butterfly Diary. The book contains rich and layered photographic imagery paired with haikus. I explored the butterfly as a metaphor for the soul’s journey from letting go, forgiveness, to peace. It is also available to purchase on my online store.

Cover for The Butterfly Diary. Photographs by Stella Kalaw

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Let me know what your thoughts are on Sundays with Stella. Did something resonate with you on this anniversary post? As always, let’s meet in the comment section below. If you’d like to leave a personal note, feel free to send it to me at photo@kalaw.com

See you all next Sunday!